Welcome to Our Texas Idea House

The setting: Just a short drive from both Austin and San Antonio, the Escondido community is in the heart of Central Texas in Horseshoe Bay, situated along the pristine shores of Lake Lyndon B. Johnson and spanning 550 acres of rugged Hill Country terrain.

The style: With European leanings, the home’s design principles embody the timeless charm, classic architecture, and authentic details befitting a historic Mediterranean villa. Native building materials reflect the Texas landscape and harmonize with the Southern locale.

The space: Our home rambles around a series of terraces and courtyards, making the most of indoor/outdoor living. On the main level, rooms stem from a central dining area with vantages oriented toward the pool and lake. Vaulted ceilings open the main living room to an upstairs loft and additional bedrooms. A detached casita provides a guest retreat above and a boat dock below.

Dining Room

27. Suspended from rings, elegant curtains break an inch and a half beyond floor level, allowing the fabric to shrink or expand in the Texas heat. “Draperies should rest atop the floor like a loose ball gown,” says Marcus.

Boathouse

Landscape

59. Preserving the surrounding live oaks helps our new house feel nestled into the Texas landscape.

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27 of 43Photo by: Tria Giovan, Styling by: Matthew Gleason

Kitchen

60. A stainless steel base sets the square island apart from surrounding cabinetry and streamlines the room’s old-world posture. “This home offers the charm of yesterday combined with the freshness of how we live today,” says Michael.

61. The island appears longer and less utilitarian with an antique table placed at the end.

62. Adding to the overall mix of styles and time periods in the kitchen, a vintage-inspired iron chandelier hangs above the sleek center island.

63. Hand-scraped wood flooring by Shaw Floors is made from recycled materials and mimics the look of antique wide-plank floors.

Guest Rooms

Floor Plan

96. A three-car garage buffers the home from the street and encloses the pea-gravel parking court. “We saw the garage as an opportunity,” says Michael. “It serves as a gateway and helps shape the space.”

97. Instead of grandiose spaces, a series of smaller rooms connected by large cased openings maintains authentic European scale. “Layered sight lines to the water create a sense of discovery,” says Michael.

98. With more than 4,000 square feet of outdoor living space, the rear terraces and porches maximize this home’s waterfront location.